In the 70’s, due to a growing urbanization, a decentralisation policy led by the French state, drove major companies from the perfume and cosmetics industry to relocate their activities outside the Paris area. Most of the major players such as Guerlain, Coty, Dior, Hermes moved in the south of Paris, in the Centre Val de Loire region as well as many SMEs, from the whole value chain of the industry went with the flow. Becoming a dynamic and strategic territory, numerous international companies such as Shiseido or Reckitt, set up in the south of Paris too.
In 1994, the first network dedicated to the perfume and cosmetics industry is created: Cosmetic Valley association, based in Chartres (Centre Val de Loire region), France. First working on 3 French regions (Centre Val de Loire, Normandie and Ile de France), Cosmetic Valley is now coordinator of the entire French cosmetics industry. It has been supporting, for 27 years, economic growth in the cosmetics industry by organizing the network, helping to drive exports, and supporting innovation.
Cosmetic Valley represents a cross sectorial industry, a network of 3200 companies (including 80% SMEs) but also research and training organizations. The cluster brings together the whole value chain of the cosmetics industry: raw material, formulation, manufacture, packaging, packing, finished products, distribution and logistics, engineering / machine tools, assembly lines, testing and analysis / quality control, services, research and training.
Why is there a necessity to create synergy between companies and clusters? What do companies ask for from an association like yours nowadays?
«After having expended its cosmetics cluster model all around the world and supported the creation of numerous cosmetics clusters, Cosmetic Valley initiated in 2016, an international network of cosmetics cluster, Global Cosmetics Cluster – Ségolène Leloutre, International relationships director, explains – In addition to being the international reference for the cosmetics expertise, Global Cosmetics Cluster is willing to foster the international cluster collaboration in order to develop the complementarity nature of service offers of each cluster, to encourage the exchange of good practices, knowledge, resources and support the development of a global ecosystem of responsible and innovative companies active in cosmetics».
«Global Cosmetics Cluster is also a gateway to SMEs internationalization by facilitating the access to markets, the creation of business and R&I cooperation, the search for partners and expertise to develop collaborative projects. More than ever, in the sanitary crisis context, the international collaboration gives the opportunity for both clusters and SMEs to be aware of critical info in the beauty industry!».
What do you expect from the project GCC.Eu?
«Sharing best practices, pooling resources, collaborating on innovation, jointly addressing major export markets, are all wishes shared by the members of this great network – Justine Hegon, Project Manager International Partnerships, says – It is all the more important as Europe is the leading consumer market for the cosmetics industry with € 79.8 billion in 2019, out of a worldwide turnover of € 500 billion and we need to join forces to consolidate its position as a leader facing the international competition. Global Cosmetics Cluster is a common brand for a better visibility, which is representing the European cosmetics industry. From this European interclustering collaboration, SMEs from the industry benefit of a support to reinforce their competitivity, highlight their know-how at international scale, especially through an accelerator program toward foreign markets».